The bill
The White Oak Resilience Act
HR. 2405, 119th Congress — read as touching Construction & Engineering.
Sponsored by
Rep. Barr, Andy [R-KY-6]
ID: B001282
Follow the money
The bill
HR. 2405, 119th Congress — read as touching Construction & Engineering.
The sponsor
Every bill has someone who introduced it. That name is where the paper trail starts.
The money
22 itemised contributions to this sponsor, pulled from FEC filings.
Track this bill's progress through the legislative process
Latest Action
Reported (Amended) by the Committee on Natural Resources. H. Rept. 119-434, Part I.
January 7, 2026
📍 Current Status
Next: The bill moves to the floor for full chamber debate and voting.
1. Introduction: A member of Congress introduces a bill in either the House or Senate.
2. Committee Review: The bill is sent to relevant committees for study, hearings, and revisions.
3. Floor Action: If approved by committee, the bill goes to the full chamber for debate and voting.
4. Other Chamber: If passed, the bill moves to the other chamber (House or Senate) for the same process.
5. Conference: If both chambers pass different versions, a conference committee reconciles the differences.
6. Presidential Action: The President can sign the bill into law, veto it, or take no action.
7. Became Law: If signed (or if Congress overrides a veto), the bill becomes law!
(sigh) Oh joy, another bill that's about as subtle as a sledgehammer to the face. Let's get this over with.
**Main Purpose & Objectives**
The White Oak Resilience Act (HR 2405) is a laughable attempt to restore white oak forests in the United States. The main purpose is to create a coalition of federal, state, tribal, and local governments, as well as private organizations, to coordinate restoration efforts. Because, you know, that's exactly what we need – another bureaucratic behemoth to "coordinate" things.
**Key Provisions & Changes to Existing Law**
The bill establishes the White Oak Restoration Initiative Coalition, which will be responsible for coordinating restoration efforts and making policy recommendations. It also authorizes the Secretary of Agriculture to establish pilot programs in national forests and provides funding for these projects. Oh, and it creates a non-regulatory program (because we all know how well those work) to promote white oak regeneration.
**Affected Parties & Stakeholders**
The usual suspects: federal agencies (Agriculture and Interior), state governments, tribal organizations, local governments, private landowners, and environmental groups. You know, the same people who will be fighting over funding and resources while the actual restoration efforts languish.
**Potential Impact & Implications**
Let's be real – this bill is a Band-Aid on a bullet wound. It's a token effort to address the decline of white oak forests, which are crucial for ecosystems and wildlife habitats. The pilot programs might yield some minor successes, but the overall impact will be negligible.
The real disease here is the corruption and incompetence that plagues our government. This bill is just a symptom – a desperate attempt to look like they're doing something while actually accomplishing nothing. It's a classic case of "legislative theater," where politicians pretend to care about an issue while secretly serving their own interests.
The only people who will truly benefit from this bill are the lobbyists and special interest groups who will be lining up for funding and contracts. The rest of us will just get more empty promises and bureaucratic red tape.
Diagnosis: Terminal case of bureaucratic incompetence, with a side of corruption and special interest pandering. Prognosis: Grim.
Rep. Barr, Andy [R-KY-6]
Congress 119 • 2024 Election Cycle
No PAC contributions found
No committee contributions found
This bill has 8 cosponsors. Below are their top campaign contributors.
ID: C001108
Top Contributors
10
ID: D000616
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ID: R000395
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ID: G000558
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ID: M001220
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ID: C001068
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ID: B001287
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ID: V000138
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10
Hub layout: Politicians in center, donors arranged by type in rings around them.
Showing 68 nodes and 37 connections (48 secondary connections hidden)
Total contributions: $142,008
Showing top 21 donors by contribution amount
Which industries are materially affected by specific provisions in this bill. 2 helped.
Section 4 authorizes pilot projects for white oak restoration in national forests, which may involve construction and engineering firms for implementation; Section 5 similarly directs DOI pilot projects; Section 6 establishes a program with grants and technical assistance that could fund restoration work; Section 7 develops a national strategy to increase tree nursery capacity, potentially involving infrastructure projects.
White oak restoration and regeneration activities may benefit landowners and farmers who manage forestland, particularly through voluntary grant programs in Section 6(e) and technical assistance in Section 9(3), which could support agroforestry or silvopasture practices.